The present invention relates generally to antenna arrays, and more particularly to systems and methods for manufacturing extruded slot array antennas.
FIGS. 1A–1D illustrate four phases used in the conventional manufacturing of a slot antenna array. Initially as shown in FIG. 1A, waveguide trenches 112 are machined into metal stock, thereby forming three sides of the arrays waveguide structures. Subsequently, slots 120 are cut into the bottom of the trench plate 115, slots 120 forming the apertures, which either collect portions of an incident signal, or radiate portions of a transmitted signal. Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, a top plate 130 is aligned and attached to the uncovered surface of the trench plate 115. Top plate 130 has slots 140 disposed thereon, the slots operating to either collect an incident signal from the radiating slots 120 or send the transmitted signal to slots 120. T-structure 160 is positioned over the feed slots 140 of top plate 130, the T-structure 160 having a slot 162 (opposite of side shown). Slot 162 serves as the interface with a waveguide feed network consisting of components 170 and 180, these components forming a feed network that is oriented generally perpendicular to the T-structure 160. Slot 182 disposed on feed network component 180 serves as the input/output port of the slot array antenna.
The conventional slot array antenna produced using the aforementioned conventional manufacturing method is of good quality, but relatively expensive. In large slot arrays having many waveguides, the process of machining waveguide trenches 112 into metal stock is time consuming and expensive. Further, the top plate 130 must be carefully aligned and well bonded with the trench plate 115 in order to ensure proper antenna performance. When it is considered that each of these operations is required to manufacture one slot antenna array, the high costs associated with the conventional approach become clear.
What is needed is a slot antenna array which can be more economically manufactured, and which exhibits the same good quality performance as the traditional machined arrays.